Page 1 A Plant's Home© WindStar Wildlife Institute

For more nature habitat information

Visit these helpful websites:

A Plant's HomeA Bird's HomeA Homesteader's Home

Control of InvasiveNon-Native Plants

In the next century, the greatest threatto our native plants and the wildlife species that

depend upon themmay well come from other plants.

A Guide For Gardenersand Homeowners in the

Mid-Atlantic Region

Thousands of plant specieshave been brought to North

American in the past threecenturies. Most are well-behaved,rarely penetrating natural areas.

Several hundred, however, have nonatural controls here, and are able

to out-compete and graduallydisplace our native plants, evendeep in forests and undisturbedecosystems.

Variously called alien, introduced,or exotic, these non-natives arehighly invasive.

Some of these plants werebrought here intentionally, for theirmedicinal, ornamental, or foodvalue. Others hid in soil, crop seed,or ballast.

Most came from othercontinents, but a few have spreadfrom other parts of the U.S. In each

region, different species are betteradapted and therefore pose agreater threat.

This guide is for the piedmont andinner coastal plain regions ofMaryland, northern Virginia, theDistrict of Columbia, Delaware, andsoutheastern Pennsylvania.

Many of the plants in this guideare popular, even beloved, landscapeplants, but it is now clear that theypose a threat to our environment.

If you cannot effectively containthese plants within your property,by clipping seeds, fruits, or runners,

please consider removing them.

It is a difficult decision, but eachof us has a responsibility not todamage the local ecosystem thatcleans our air and water, stabilizesthe soil, buffers floods, and providesfood and shelter for innumerablespecies besides our own.

Page 2 A Plant's Home© WindStar Wildlife Institute

Each of the non-native plantsin this guide significantly reducesthe number of plant and animalspecies on any site it invades.

When evaluating exotic plantsfor your garden, ask thesequestions:

s Does it naturalize or self-sow.How far does it spread. Arethe seeds spread by wind orwater.

If so, don‘t plant it unlessyou are prepared to remove allseeds, every year.

s Is it a wildlife food plant. If theanswer is yes, wildlife willspread it to woods andwetlands. In other words,

these are plants to avoid.Plant natives instead.

s Is it a rapidly spreadingground cover. If so, don’t

plant it adjacent to openspace.

s Is it low maintenance – hardy,tolerant of drought orflooding, shade-tolerant, pest

free. If so, it has no natural

controls here. Do not plant itif it can spread out of thegarden.

s Does it have the ability to killor suppress growth ofsurrounding plants by shading

them out, chemically poisoningthem, or out-competing themfor food and water. (Norwaymaple, a common landscapetree, is a prime example.) If

so, you don’t want it in yourgarden anyway!

This guide lists garden plantsand weeds which are alreadycausing significant changes tonatural areas in the Mid-Atlantic.

Measures for controlling eachspecies are indicated by number,e.g., (3), in the text, and explainedon page 9.

The suggested alternatives arenative plants, well adapted andneeding little care, attractive tobirds and butterflies, and animportant part of the food webfor our indigenous species.

Recommended Native ShrubsSpicebush ( Lindera benzoin), which is covered with tiny yellow flowersin March, is our most common native shrub. It needs rich soil, asdoes Strawberry bush (Euonymus americanus).

Maple-leaf viburnum ( Viburnum acerifolium) is suited to dry shadeand thinner soil, while the arrowwoods (Viburnum dentatum, V.recognitum, V. nudum) grow in moist soil.

Wild hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens), parent of some cultivatedvarieties, is a somewhat vining shrub.

Highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum, the parent of cultivatedblueberries) and Lowbush blueberry (V. vacillans ) need very acidic soil.They tolerate shade but fruit best in sun. Both turn red in fall.

Invasive, Non-Native ShrubsMultiflora Rose ( Rosa

multiflora), formerly recommendedfor erosion control, hedges, andwildlife habitat, becomes a hugeshrub that chokes out all othervegetation and is too dense formany species of birds to nest in,

though a few favor it.

In shade, it grows up trees like avine. It is covered with whiteflowers in June. (Our native roseshave fewer flowers, mostly pink.)

Distinguish multiflora by itssize, and by the presence of veryhard, curved thorns, and a fringededge to the leaf stalk.

Control: (1) – pull seedlings, digout larger plants at least 6" fromthe crown and 6" down; (4) onextensive infestations; (10) or (11).

It may remain green in winter, so

herbicide may be applied whenother plants are dormant. Forfoliar applications, mix Rodeo withextra sticker-spreader, or useRoundup Sure Shot Foam on smallplants.

Multiflora Rose

Page 3 A Plant's Home© WindStar Wildlife Institute

The Most InvasiveNon-Native Weeds

Garlic Mustard (Alliariapetiolata, A. officinalis), a white-flowered biennial with rough,scalloped leaves (kidney, heart- orarrow-shaped), recognizable bythe smell of garlic and taste ofmustard when its leaves arecrushed.

Control: Pull before it flowers inspring (10) removing crown androots. Tamp down soil afterwards.Once it has flowered, cut (2),being careful not to scatter seed,then bag and burn or seed to thelandfill. (11) may be appropriate insome settings.

Japanese or Vietnamese Stilt

Grass, Eulalia (Microstegiumvimineum) can be identified by itslime-green color and a line ofsilvery hairs down the middle ofthe 2-3" long blade. It toleratessun or dense shade and quicklyinvades areas left bare ordisturbed by tilling or flooding.

Control: Easily pulled in early tomid-summer (1) – be sure to pullbefore it goes to seed. If seedshave formed, bag and burn or sendto landfill. Mowing weekly, or whenit has just begun to flower may

Bush Honeysuckles ( Loniceraspp.), including Belle, Amur,Morrow’s and Tatarianhoneysuckle. (In our region,assume that any honeysuckle isexotic unless it is a scarlet-flowered vine.)

Bush honeysuckles createdenser shade than native shrubs,reducing plant diversity andeliminating nest sites for manyforest interior species.

Control: (2) on ornamentals; (1);on shady sites only, brush cut inearly spring and again in early fall(3); (4) during the growingseason; (7); or (10) late in thegrowing season.

Other Ornamental ShrubsJapanese Spiraea (Spiraea

japonica). Control: (1); (2); (3),(7), (10), or (11).

Privet (all Ligustrum species).Control: (1); (7) or (10); or trim offall flowers. Do not cut back ormow.

Burning Bush, WingedEuonymus, Winged Wahoo,(Euonymus alatus), identified bywide, corky wings on the branches.

There is another species calledBurning bush, E. atropurpureus,which is indigenous to theAppalachians, and a piedmonteuonymus called Strawberry bush(E. americanus).

Control: (1); (7) or (10); or trimoff all flowers.

Japanese Barberry (Berberisthunbergii), red and greenvarieties.

Control: (1); (7) or (10); or trimoff all flowers.

prevent it from setting seed (3).Use glyphosate (11) or herbicidalsoap (less effective) on large

infestations. Follow-up with (5) inspring.

Mile-a-minute Vine, Devil’s TailTearthumb ( Polygonumperfolatum), a rapidly growingannual vine with triangular leaves,barbed stems, and turquoiseberries in August which are spreadby birds. It quickly covers andshades out herbaceous plants.

Control: same as for stilt grass.

Japanese Perilla, BeefsteakPlant ( Perilla frutescens). Sold asa salad plant, this member of themint family is extremely invasive by

wind-borne seeds. Recognize it bythe odd odor, supposedly like rawbeef, when you rub it.

Control: (1); (2); (10) or (11).

Spotted Knapweed ( Centaureamaculosa) a biennial with thistle-like flowers.

Canada Thistle, Bull Thistle(Cirsium arvense, C. Vulgare).Exotic thistles are far morecommon than native ones. If you

cannot identify the species, it is

Garlic Mustard

Page 4 A Plant's Home© WindStar Wildlife Institute

Invasive Wetland PlantsA number of ornamental plants

once recommended for watergardens or moist garden soil havespread to our riverbanks, floodplains, and wetlands.

They are extremely difficult to

eradicate once established – up to10 years of repeated treatmentmay be needed to remove Purpleloosestrife or Phragmites. Theseplants propagate by seed and byfleshy root parts which break offeasily. Both are spread by water,feet (human, animal, bird), andtires, including those of mowers.They are also found in dredge spoil,fill dirt, and compost. it is notclear whether seeds may betransported by wind.

Do not plant exotic watergarden plants unless they arenot hardy, and never dump plantsfrom fish tanks or water gardens

into toilets, storm drains, lakes,or streams.

Common Reed (Phragmitesaustralis,formerly P. communis)looks like a tall ornamental grasswith lovely plumes, usually white ortan.

Although the species isindigenous, a particularlyaggressive strain, probablyintroduced or a hybrid, hasescaped from natural controls andtaken over many formerly diversewetlands. It is also seen inroadside ditches.

Control: (10) or (11), using Rodeowhen the plant is flowering. Ifpossible, follow-up with acontrolled burn of the dead plants,to allow native plants to return.

Do not dig Phragmites – theroots will break, re-sprout, andspread. If herbicide cannot be

used, cut annually in late July toreduce spread.

Giant Reed (Arundo donax)chokes waterways from Virginiasouth. It can grow 20' tall.

Control: same as for Phragmites

or mow several times a season.

Japanese Knotweed, MexicanBamboo (Polygonum cuspidatum)can grow in shade. The stems haveknotty joints, reminiscent ofbamboo. It grows 6-10' tall andhas large pointed oval ortriangular leaves.

Control: cut at least threetimes each growing season and/ortreat with Rodeo (10) or (11). Ingardens, heavy mulch or denseshade may kill it.

Purple Loosestrife (Lythrumsalicaria, L. virgatum), a

handsome garden plant, has tallspikes of magenta flowers over along bloom season.

Often marketed as sterile, it isat best self-sterile, i.e., it can bepollinated by plants you may notbe aware of, growing nearby.

A single plant can produce up toa million seeds. Like Phragmites, itchokes out all competitors andhas taken over millions of acres ofwetland in the U.S.

Control: initial infestations maybe hand-pulled (1) before flowering(do not dig). Bag and burn or send

to the landfill. Otherwise, useRodeo (10) or (11) when plantsbegin to bloom (they continue toflower while setting seed). Expectto re-treat for several years untilthe seed bank is exhausted.

Lesser Celandine, CelandineButtercup ( Ranunculus ficaria)

has spread from gardens tocarpet our flood plains with smallyellow flowers in spring.

It comes up in winter, giving it ahead start over most nativespring wildflowers.

Control: it is not yet knownwhether digging is effective – thesmall reproductive corms break offvery easily.

Try digging (1) before the plantsflower. Otherwise, use Rodeo (10 or11), preferably in February toprotect native plants, frogs, andsalamanders which become activein March.

Recommended Native WetlandPlants for Water Gardens

s Turtlehead(Chelone glabra)

s Lizard’s tail(Saururus cernuus)

s Cardinal flower(Lobelia cardinalis)

s New York ironweed(Vernonia noveboracencis)

s Blue flag (Iris versicolor)

s Virginia bluebells(Mertensia virginica)

s Wild blue phlox(Phlox divaricata)

s Arrowhead(Sagittaria latifolia)

s Pickerelweed

(Pontederia cordata)

s Also use native reeds, rushes,and sedges.

Page 5 A Plant's Home© WindStar Wildlife Institute

Small to Medium Invasive,Non-Native Trees

Empress Tree, Princess Tree(Paulownia tomentosa) – largepanicles of lavender flowers, likeupside-down wisteria, identify thistree in spring; the large brownseed capsules remain all year.

Winged seeds allow it to spreaddeep into undeveloped areas,though it needs some sunlight andis most common along trails andwaterways. It grows very rapidlyand sprouts readily from rootsand cut stumps.

Control: (1) – seedlings andsmall saplings only; (7), (8), (9),or (10) – use 50% solution, anytime the ground is not frozen; (11)on re-growth and small trees.

Mimosa ( Albizia julibrissin) hasrather garish pink flowers insummer and feathery compound

leaves. It spreads slowly by wind-borne seed pods, or in water or fill-dirt. It re-sprouts when cut orburned. Needs some sunlight.

Control: (1); (7), (8), (9), or (10).

Recommended Native Trees For HedgesAmerican hazel nut (Corylus americana) makes an excellent hedge.In damp soils, Slippery elm (Ulmus rubra) is a good substitute forSiberian elm.

On sunny, dry sites, Staghorn sumac or Shining sumac(Rhustyphina, R. copallina) form thickets; keep suckers in check by mowing.

Recommended Native Shade TreesWhite oak (Quercus alba), Northern or Southern red oak (Q. rubra,Q. Falcata), and Mockernut hickory ( Carya tomentosa) are widelyadapted shade trees.

Other oaks and hickories are suited to very dry, wet, or steep sites.Tupelo, also called Black or Sour gum ( Nyssa sylvatic) has brilliantred fall foliage and small fruits eaten by birds.

under which nothing else grows. Itssmall oval leaves have a singletooth.

Control: (1); (7), (8), (9), or (10).

Russian Olive, Autumn Olive(Eleagnus angustifolium, E.umbellata ) – formerlyrecommended for erosion controland wildlife value, these haveproved highly invasive and diminishthe overall quality of wildlifehabitat.

Control: (1) – up to 4" diametertrunks; (7) or (10) or bury stump.Do not mow or burn.

Flowering Fruit Trees – thesedisplace our native fruit trees:Cherry, edible and ornamental(Prunus avium, P. cerasus,Japanese species and hybrids).Pear, Bradford and otherOrnamental Pears ( Pyruscalleryana) – self-sterile but can

pollinate other cultivars, nowspreading rapidly from streetplantings.

White Mulberry (Morus alba) –the fruits may be white, purple, orblack; leaves are lobed. Ourdelicious native red mulberry, whichhas very large, usually unlobedleaves, is dying out from a rootdisease carried by white mulberry.

Control of flowering/fruit trees:(1); (7) or (10); (8) if very large; orif grown for harvest, protect fruitfrom birds with netting orhardware cloth.

Siberian Elm ( Ulmus pumila), afast-growing medium-height treealso sold for hedges, displaces ournative elms, which are alreadyunder pressure from Dutch elmdisease. It forms dense thickets

Recommended Small NativeOrnamental TreesServiceberry ( Amelanchier spp.),Fringetree ( Chionanthusvirginicus), Black haw(Viburnumprunifolium), and Redchokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia)

are beautiful flowering treesthat also produce fruit forbirds.

Invasive Ornamental GrassesOften promoted as native

plants, most ornamental grassescome from outside our region.Once established, they areextremely tenacious. They are nowspreading into our meadows.

So far, Pampas grass(Cortaderia selloana and C.jubata), Japanese silver grass(Miscanthus sinensis), and Reedcanary grass (Phalarisarundinacea) have been the mostinvasive.

Control: (1); (2); or (11), using

additional sticker-spreader.

Page 6 A Plant's Home© WindStar Wildlife Institute

Medium to TallInvasive, Non-Native Trees

Norway Maple (Acerplatanoides) has large leavessimilar to sugar maple. Break aleaf or stalk – a drop of white

sap will show if it is Norwaymaple.

Fall foliage is yellow.(Exceptions: cultivars such as“Crimson King," which have red

leaves in spring or summer, mayhave red autumn leaves.) Theleaves turn color late, usually in

November.

This tree suppresses growth

of grass, garden plants, andforest understory beneath it, atleast as far as the drip-line.

Our mixed deciduous forestswill give way to pure stands of

Norway maple in the nextcentury unless we control itsspread now.

Control: (1); (7), (8), (9), or(10); (11) in mid-October to early

November, before the leaves turncolor.

Tree of Heaven (Ailanthusaltissima), known from A TreeGrows in Brooklyn, is incredibly

tough and can grow in thepoorest conditions.

It produces huge quantities ofwind-borne seeds, grows rapidly,and secretes a toxin that kills

other plants. Once established,this tree cannot be removed bymechanical means alone.

Control: (1) – seedlings only.Herbicide – use Garlon 3a(9)

with no more than a 1" gapbetween cuts, or (10); plus (11) onre-growth. Or paint bottom 12" of

bark with Garlon 4 (in February

or March to protect surroundingplants). Use maximum strength

specified on label for all herbicideapplications on Ailanthus.

Glyphosate is not effectiveagainst Ailanthus.

Sawtooth Oak ( Quercusacutissima) – often recommendedfor wildlife, this Asian tree has

spread into our region fromforestry plants, displacingindigenous forest trees.

Control: (1); (7), (8), (9), or (10);(11) on small trees and re-growth.

This Guide was compiled for the Maryland Native Plant Society by

Louisa Thompson, Master Gardener Consultant, Maryland CooperativeExtension, March, 1999.

Sources include:

s “Exotic Plants," by Gene Cooley, MD Natural Heritage Program

s “Invasive Alien Plant Species of Virginia," by the Virginia Native

Plant Society and the VA Division of Natural Heritage

s “Plant Invaders of Parks and Natural Areas," by the NPCI Alien

Plant Working Group

s “Invasive Exotic Pest Plants in Tennessee," by the Tennessee Exotic

Pest Plant Council

s “Element Stewardship Abstracts" of The Nature Conservancy

s “Invasive Plants: Weeds of the Global Garden," by John M. Randalland Janet Marinelli, 1996, Brooklyn Botanic Gardens Book Club

s The Monsanto web-page ( www.monsanto .com).

The author would like to thank Rod Simmons, Jil Swearingen, SusanRudy, Susan Salmons, Philip Pannill, Marc Imlay, Marion deGroff, JaneBaldwin, Graham Egerton, and Ray Bosmans for their comments.

Control of invasive exotic plants is a new endeavor; therecommendations given here may not have been fully tested.

Recommended Native GrassesNative grasses usually grow in

small clumps, in a mix of severalspecies.

Tall ones include Indian grass(Sorghastrum nutans), Bigbluestem ( Andropogon gerardii),Purple top ( Triodi flava), and, onthe coastal plain, Switch grass(Panicum virgatum).

Small to medium grassesinclude Little bluestem

(Schizachyrium scoparium),Bottlebrush ( Hystrix patula),and Wild oats ( Uniola latifolia).

Page 7 A Plant's Home© WindStar Wildlife Institute

Invasive, Non-Native VinesAll of these vines shade out the

shrubs and young trees of theforest understory, eventually killingthem, and changing the openstructure of the forest into adense tangle. Do not plant next to

open space.

Kudzu (Pueraria lobata), the vinethat smothered the South, is nowspreading through the Northeastand Midwest. It grows extremelyrapidly both above and belowground, and can pull down trees.

Control: small patches may beeliminated by repeated weeding (1),mowing (2), or grazing; establishedinfestations can only be controlledwith herbicide (10) or (11) – expectre-growth, but wait a full year andre-treat in the third year. Herbicideis most effective in early fall.Controlled burning (4) of the deadplants the following spring allows

native vegetation to return.

Japanese Honeysuckle ( Lonicerajaponica), including Hall’shoneysuckle is a rampant growerthat spirals around trees, oftenstrangling them.

Control: (1); (3); (10); (11) in fallor early spring when nativevegetation is dormant. Plan to re-treat repeatedly.

Wisteria, Chinese and Japanese(Wisteria sinensis, W. Floribunda)both become heavy, woody vinesthat can pull down a large tree.

Control: (1); cut back anddeadhead ornamental plants (2);(10).

Oriental Bittersweet ( Celastrusorbiculatus) has almostcompletely displaced Americanbittersweet ( C. scandens ). TheAsian plant has its flowers and

bright orange seed capsules inclusters all along the stem, whilethe native species bears them onlyat the branch tips.

Control: (2); keep ornamentalplants cut back, remove all fruitsas soon as they open, and bag or

burn fruits; to eradicate useGarlon 3a (10).

Porcelain Berry (Ampelopsisbrevipedunculata) has small, hardfruits in a loose, flat cluster thatturn from white to yellow, lilac,green, and finally a beautifulturquoise blue.

Control: (1) before fruits appear;keep ornamental plants cut back,and bag or burn fruits before theyripen; to eradicate use Garlon 3a(10).

English Ivy (Hedera helix) growsup trees and can eventually pull

them down. It spreads along theground and occasionally by fruits.

Control: clip off flowers or fruitsif any are seen (2), and (1) pullany seedlings. To eradicate ivyclimbing trees, cut stems as highabove ground as you can reach,then pull down and paint lowerportion of stems and foliage withGarlon 3a (10), taking care not to

wet the tree bark. Ground cover:pull up as much as you can, digout the roots as well as you can,and repeat until it no longer re-sprouts; or treat re-growth withGarlon 3a.

Wintercreeper (Euonymusfortunei). Control: same as forEnglish Ivy, but Garlon is noteffective; glyphosate mixed withextra sticker-spreader may be.

Vinca, Periwinkle (Vinca minor).Control: with persistence, you candig out vinca (1); plan to removere-growth. If digging is notfeasible, cut to the ground and

treat re-growth with glyphosate(11).

Recommended Native Ornamental Vines

American bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) has been almost

completely displaced by the Asian species. To preserve it, give itpreference, except where its exotic counterpart is present, becausethe two hybridize.

Trumpet honeysuckle ( Lonicera sempervirens), a semi-evergreentwining shrub with tubular red flowers attractive to hummingbirds, isuncommon but indigenous to the piedmont.

Native wisteria ( Wisteria frutescens ), much less aggressive than theintroduced ones, can be grown from Maryland south.

Trumpet vine (Campsis radicans) has dramatic flowers attractive tohummingbirds, and Virginia creeper ( Parthenocissus quinquefolia) hasspectacular red fall foliage, but be aware that both are aggressivegrowers.

Native grapes ( Vitis spp. ) provide an enormous amount of food forbirds but are aggressive and not ornamental.

Page 8 A Plant's Home© WindStar Wildlife Institute

Invasive Non-Vining Ground CoversCrown Vetch ( Coronilla varia)has striking pink flowers. Its barewoody stems are unattractive inwinter. Often planted alonghighways, its seeds spreadinvasively.

Control: (1); (10) or (11).

Mints, including Spearmint(Mentha spicata), Ground Ivy, Gill-Over-the-Ground, Creeping Charlie(Glechoma hederacea), Henbit(Lamium amplexicaule), and PurpleDead Nettle ( L. purpureum),spread by wind-borne seed as wellas by runners.

They grow in sun and shade andare common lawn weeds which havespread to woods and wetlands.Recognize mints by square stemsand a minty smell when crushed.

Plant culinary and ornamental

mints in containers; prevent fromspreading out drainage holes orover the top.

Note on HerbicidesThe Maryland Native Plant

Society strongly recommendsnon-chemical methods ofcontrol wherever feasible.However, for large infestations,and for a few plants, non-chemical methods areinadequate.

Applied carefully to avoid non-target plants, glyphosate is theleast environmentally damagingherbicide in most cases.

Roundup contains a stronger

concentration of glyphosatethan Kleen-Up. Both contain apetroleum-based sticker-spreader.

Rodeo, the glyphosateformulation for wetlands, doesnot contain any sticker-spreader and thus is safer forthe environment.

The smallest size of Rodeoavailable is one quart ofconcentrate, obtainable fromfarm supply store for about$60. Add food coloring forvisibility, and a soap-basedsticker such as Cide-Kick.

For small applications,another choice is Roundup SureShot Foam, easier to see andcontrol than liquid Roundup.

Glyphosate is ineffective onsome plants; for these,triclopyr (Garlon), a stump andbrush killer, may be indicated orCrossbow, which will not killgrass.

When using herbicides, readthe entire label and observe allprecautions listed, includingproper disposal. If in doubt, callyour state Extension Service.

Control: (1) (difficult); (2); (6);(11).

Indian Strawberry ( Duchesneaindica). From India, this shade-tolerant ground cover spreads byfruit and runners.

Control: (1), taking care toremove each crown; (6).

Running Bamboos (many speciesand genera; Phyllostachys,Bambusa, and Pseudosasaare themost destructive). Many bamboossend runners great distances,under pavement and edging.

Once established, they formimpenetrable thickets that arealmost impossible to eradicate.

Plant bamboos only incontainers, never in open soil.Prevent from spreading outdrainage holes.

Control: (1) – an enormous job;(10) or (11).

Recommended Native Ground CoversEvergreen: Golden ragwort (Senecio aureus) and green-and-gold

(Chrysogonum virginianum) have showy yellow flowers in spring and

grow in moist shade. Wild stonecrop (Sedum ternatum) has lacy whiteflowers; it grows in thin, rocky soil in light shade. Moss phlox (Phloxsubulata), the familiar landscape plant, has a looser form in the wild,and usually has white flowers; it tolerates very poor soil but needsgood drainage.

Semi-evergreen: Allegheny spurge (Pachytsandra procumbens) isindigenous to the mountains but will grow here. It looks much like itsJapanese cousin.

Deciduous: Wild ginger (Asarum canadense) has kidney-shapedleaves that seem to sparkle in spring. Not a culinary plant, its rootsdo have a gingery scent. it needs moist shade.

Recommended Alternatives to BambooGiant cane (Arundinaria gigantea), a well-behaved native bamboo, is

indigenous to damp woods and swamps on the coastal plain.

Elsewhere, use native grasses or shrubs.

Page 9 A Plant's Home© WindStar Wildlife Institute

Control Measures

(1) Pull seedlings and small or shallow-rooted plants when soil ismoist. Dig out larger plants, including the root systems. Use aspading fork or weed wrench for trees or shrubs.

(2) To prevent spread of seeds of desirable ornamental plants, cut offspent flowers (“deadhead") or cut off seeds or fruits before theyripen. Bag, and burn or send to the landfill.

(3) Mow or cut back at least three times a season to deplete plants’store of nutrients, reduce seed formation, and kill or minimize spreadof plants. If necessary, repeat each year.

(4) Controlled burning during the spring, repeated over several years,allows native vegetation to compete more effectively with the exotic.This may require a permit. Spot treatment with glyphosate in thelate fall can be used to make this method more effective.

(5) Use a corn-based pre-emergence herbicide on annual weeds. Thisproduct is also an organic fertilizer, i.e., it can stimulate growth ofexisting plants, including weeds, so it is appropriate for lawns andgardens but may not be appropriate in woodlands.

(6) In lawns, spot treat with broad-leaf weed killer. Good lawn-carepractices (test soil – use lime and fertilizer only when soil test showsa need; mow high and frequently – leave clippings on lawn) reduceweed infestations.

(7) Cut down the tree. Grind out the stump, or clip off re-growth.

(8) Girdle tree – cut through the bark and growing layer (cambium) allaround the trunk, about 6" above the ground. Girdling is mosteffective in spring when the sap is rising, and from middle to latesummer when the tree is sending down food to the roots. Clip off re-growth.

(9) Hack and squirt – hack a hole (several holes in larger trees)downward into the growing layer, and squirt in glyphosate (ortriclopyr if recommended in text above). Follow label directions forInjection and Frill Applications. This is most effective from middle tolate summer. Clip off any re-growth or paint with glyphosate.

(10) Cut down, and paint the cut stem or stump with glyphosate (ortriclopyr if specified above). Follow label directions for Cut StumpApplication. Clip off re-growth or paint with glyphosate. (See Note onHerbicides.)

(11) Paint foliage with glyphosate herbicide (see Note on Herbicides). Usean envelope dauber (small sponge-topped bottle), following labeldirections for “wiper" method. Add a drop of food color for visibility.Or use a foam spray. Avoid dripping on non-target plants, becauseglyphosate kills most plants except moss. If it rolls off waxy or grass-like foliage, use additional sticker-spreader. Deciduous trees, shrubs,and perennials move nutrients down to the roots in late summer.Glyphosate is particularly effective at this time and when floweringplants are in bloom. Several invasive exotics retain their foliage afternative plants have lost theirs, and resume growth earlier in springthan most natives. This allows you to treat them without harmingthe natives. However, the plant must be growing for the herbicide towork, and more may be needed in cold weather because growth isslower.

WindStar Wildlife Institute is anational, non-profit, conservationorganization whose mission is to

help individuals and familiesestablish or improve the wildlife

habitat on their properties.

For more information orfor the name of a Master Wildlife

Habitat Naturalist in your area,please contact:

WindStar Wildlife Institute

E-mail: wildlife@windstar.org

http://www.windstar.org

Photography byCatherine Gilleland, Maryland

Master Wildlife Habitat Naturalist